Various Post-Season Awards & Honors Announced

NewEnglandRecruitingReport.com | Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

•  Thomas Knight was named the 22nd recipient of Maine’s Mr. Basketball award last week, which annually goes to the state’s top basketball player.  Other finalists were Mick Distasio of Cheverus and Gordon Fischer of Camden Hills.  Knight is the first player from Dirigo High School to ever receive the award and the first from a class C school since 1997. 

•  The Jordan Brand announced the selections for their regional game featuring the top players from the New York area in a game that features players from the city against stars of the suburbs.  Trinity Catholic’s Tevin Baskin was named to the suburban team while prep products Dan Jennings, Omari Lawrence, and Kevin Parrom were all named to the city team. 

•  The Reebok All-American weekend is being held April 16-19 in Washington, D.C.  The weekend is organized around a national all-star game featuring some of the top players in the country.  New England products Andrew Fitzgerald, Thomas Robinson, Erik Murphy, and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel were all selected to attend.

•  Murphy will also be traveling to the Derby Festival Basketball Classic, another national all-star game, sponsored by Adidas.  He will be joined by fellow Rhode Island native Mike Marra who will be making a brief appearance in Kentucky before he returns next season to suit up for Louisville. 

•  Marra will also headline a list of NMHers headed out to the Academic All-American game in Los Angeles.  He will be joined by Peter McMillan and Andrew McCarthy

•  Gatorade has announced their player of the year award winners in all fifty states.  The award goes to the player who best combines athletic and academic merit, and does not have to go to a senior.  New England winners were:  Notre Dame’s Greg DeSantis in Connecticut; Dirigo’s Thomas Knight in Maine; Massachusett’s Nate Lubick in Massachusetts; Tilton’s Alex Oriakhi in New Hampshire; Narragansett’s Jay Jeannotte in Rhode Island; and Burlington’s Clancy Rugg in Vermont. 

•  The Connecticut High School Coaches Association held their 34th annual all-star game on Wednesday night featuring the top seniors in the state.  Participating players included:  Matt Pascuzzo, Sheehan; Matt Biesak, Coginchaug; Matt Clawson, Tolland; Jeremy Cumberlander, Stonington; Shawn Holley, Cromwell; Heyden Palozej, Stafford; Tyler Burkhart, Cromwell; Stepfan Holley, Capitol Prep; Daryl Highsmith, Windham; Jahmar Mitchell, Bloomfield; Mike Gittens, Montville; Scott Murphy, Lyman Memorial; Chris Laudati, NW Regional; Chris Bader, Immaculate; Effran Ellison, Sacred Heart; Ryan Harro, New Fairfield; Zac Tuozzo, Gilbert; Damian Alston, St. Paul; Chris Bazzuto, Sacred Heart; Ryan Pelletier, Wolcott; Authur Jones, Bullard Havens; Mike Garrow, Terryville; Tristan Roberts, Ansonia; Chris Robitaille, Canton; Arshad Jackson, Hartford Public; Rishaun Brown, Middletown; Tim Quinn, Rockville; Spencer Noon, Farmington; Zach Russo, Lyman Hall; Uzoma Orchingwa, Northwest Catholic; Cody Otto, Glastonbury; Mike Anderson, Weaver; Doug Soutar, Windsor; VicAnderson, Wethersfield; Mike Callaghan, Hand; John Pinone, Glastonbury; Greg DeSantis, Notre Dame-Fairfield; John DiBartolomeo, Staples; Anthony Ireland, Crosby; Billy Ragone, Cheshire; Steve Galgano, Notre Dame-West Haven; Chris Evans, Stamford; Tobin Carberry, Hamden;  Dorlen Banks, Pomperaug; Anthony Mariano, Naugatuck; Cody Bayne, Bristol Eastern; Andrei Oztemel, Staples; Jordan Williams

•  The Basketball Hall of Fame hosted their second annual Western Mass All-Star game last Friday.  Senior participants included:  Anthony Click, Sabis; Gary Grandonico, Frontier; John Pepyne, Frontier; Charles Jackson, New Leadership; Jake Field, Turner Falls; Tom Glabach, Franklin Tech; Dana Light, Granby; Tyler Lenox, Pioneer; Patrick Ramsey, Easthampton; Devin Reid, Mohawk; Tory Buck, Mohawk; Andy Lepenas, Southwick; Tyler France, Palmer; Scott DeLoach, Hampshire; Miguel Santiago, South Hadley; Jarel Njiiri, Central; Chris Bonsu, Central; Kadar Lynch, Sci-Tech; Jahsohn Ward, Sci-Tech; Obee Byrd, Cathedral; Kareem Nunnally, Commerce; Anthony Olang, Putnam; Khalid Ibrahim, Putnam; Tashan Bosworth, East Longmeadow; Niko Sierra, Longmeadow; Matt Graham, Agawam; Chris Walker, West Springfield; Eric Velasquez, West Springfield; Jeff Lingenfelter, Minnechaug; Ben Aitchison, Minnechaug; Rob Jones, Chicopee; Aaron West, Chicopee.